PRINTER'S NO. 3838
No. 729 Session of 2004
INTRODUCED BY WHEATLEY, BISHOP, CORRIGAN, CRUZ, DALEY, DERMODY,
DeWEESE, HARHAI, JAMES, KIRKLAND, LaGROTTA, LAUGHLIN,
LEDERER, LEVDANSKY, MANDERINO, MARKOSEK, McCALL, PALLONE,
READSHAW, SAINATO, SHANER, SOLOBAY, STURLA, SURRA, TIGUE,
WATERS, WOJNAROSKI AND GOODMAN, MAY 11, 2004
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
MAY 11, 2004
A RESOLUTION
1 Designating the week of May 10 through 16, 2004, as "Cover the
2 Uninsured Week."
3 WHEREAS, More than 41 million Americans, including about 12%
4 of Pennsylvanians, are uninsured; and
5 WHEREAS, The number of uninsured individuals is growing; and
6 WHEREAS, Many more Americans who are currently insured have
7 had a period without health care coverage in the recent past;
8 and
9 WHEREAS, Eight out of ten uninsured persons are full-time
10 workers or their dependents, and only 10% of uninsured persons
11 have no connection to the work force; and
12 WHEREAS, Health coverage affects access to medical care,
13 health status and the financial well-being of families; and
14 WHEREAS, Uninsured children are 70% more likely not to have
15 received medical care for chronic conditions like asthma or
16 other illnesses which, if left untreated, can lead to serious
1 health problems; and
2 WHEREAS, More than half of uninsured adults say they have
3 postponed getting medical care and a quarter of uninsured adults
4 have not had a prescription filled in the past year because they
5 could not afford it; and
6 WHEREAS, Uninsured persons are more likely to be hospitalized
7 for serious conditions that could have been avoided, like
8 uncontrolled diabetes, if their primary health care needs were
9 met; and
10 WHEREAS, Two health foundations, The Robert Wood Johnson
11 Foundation and The California Endowment, as well as
12 organizations including the United States Chamber of Commerce,
13 AFL-CIO, The Business Roundtable, American Medical Association,
14 Health Insurance Association of America, American Hospital
15 Association and United Way of America, are sponsoring "Cover the
16 Uninsured Week"; therefore be it
17 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives join in this
18 effort by designating the week of May 10 through 16, 2004, as
19 "Cover the Uninsured Week."
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